After probably one of the worst economic crises the UK has ever seen, has the scientific industry been immune to its effect? How are the jobseekers and employees within the scientific industry feeling? CK Science, a leading specialist scientific recruitment agency, set out to find out just that.

In October 2009, CK Science surveyed 1500 scientific job seekers to research their attitudes during the recession, and brought to light some interesting results indicating that, at grassroots level, employees in the scientific industry are starting to feel the bite of the recession:

- 74.3% of respondents indicated that they planned to change jobs in 2010.

- When asked if they felt more or less secure in their science jobs compared to this time last year, 45.2% of the respondents indicated they felt less secure , whilst 20.3% felt more secure.

- When asked if they expected a pay rise within the next 12 months, 45.2% indicated that they did not, whilst 38.1% of responders expected a pay rise 3% or above.

- In terms of the strength of the scientific jobs market, 71.2% indicated that they perceived there to be limited job opportunities out there.

Speaking of the current state of the scientific job market, Ashley Kirk, Director at CK Science, said, “Science workers have not been immune to the recession. We have seen a much higher number of redundancies and greatly reduced recruitment levels throughout 2009…..Candidates are taking a more flexible approach when it comes to offer negotiation. They are much more focused on job security and company prospects and are less likely to think about questioning the salary on offer.” 

It is apparent from the survey’s findings that the scientific job market has seen better days but Kirk has some positive words, “…the last quarter of the year has seen an increase in contract recruitment, the permanent market has stabilised and is showing signs of growth. I can see a period of stability for the first half of 2010 and some confidence returning to the science job market. If you are looking for a new position at the moment, we have seen an increase in vacancies and our clients are always interested in well trained and educated scientists”. So, fingers crossed, the scientific job market is looking brighter for 2010.

CK Science is the largest independent scientific recruitment company in the UK. Our team of specialist recruiters is here to help you achieve your career ambitions within the scientific industry. We actively offer you careers advice, help with writing your CV, assistance with interview preparation and up-to-date information about the industry. We pride ourselves on providing an honest, straight-forward and trustworthy service to both our clients and candidates. Contact CK Science on 0114 283 9956 or visit our website: http://ckscience.co.uk/